Fire-finishing machine.



110. 761,139. PATENTED MAY a1, 1904. W. E. BooK.

FIRE PINISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED-MAY 20, 1902. Y

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

gn Q "l I E@ l z E 1 1 Wcyva Jaw "'f' l 1 5 may?. A

No. 761,139. n

W. B. BOOK. PIRE FINISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

PATBNTED MAY 31,1904.

l es v W] H No. 761,139. PATENTBD MAY' 31, 1904.

W. E. BOGK.

FIRE PINISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AY 20, 1902. v N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. No.-7s1,139. i PATENTBD MAY a1, 1904. w. E. BooK. PIRE FINISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20I 1902.

UNITED QSTATES Patented-May 31, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM EMIL BOOK, OE TOLEDO, OHIO, AssIeNoEf-'To- THE TOLEDO e eLAss COMPANY, OE TOLEDO,- OHIO, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

FIRE-'FINlsl-HNG lvlAQI-I'INE.A

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,139, dated May 31, 1904.

` l l Appnatiml flied YMay 20,1902. serial NQ. 108,246. (No model.)

1;'0 all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM EMILBOOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Finishing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

- Y 'Ihe invention relates to machines for finishing articles of glassware, the machine herein shown comprislng a rotar)T holder forthearticle, having means for exhausting the air from beneath the article .to hold it thereon by at.-l mospherio pressure, which I herein' refer to as a suction-arm. l v The Invention relates to the means for controlling the air-exhausting devices, the drive mechanism for the suction-arms, andthe construction, combination, and arrangement of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described-. and particularly pointed out in the claims. l Y

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical centralsection through one-half of the machine, showing a suction-arm with the article thereon and .the mold orformer in operative position to the article, the otherparts beingfshownin corresponding position. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of one of the suction-arms with the mold or former in itsoperative position and Withzthe temporary Vrest or support upon which the article is placed beside the suctionhead in :position to receive the tumbler and in. perspective view the glow-box orburner through which the article is to :be passed. Fig. 3 vis a diagram elevation of the suctionarm, the temporary rest, and the .means forA the machine, illustrating the arrangement of the suction-arms, the glow-boxes or burners, and the drive connections, many of the parts being omitted for the purpose of illustrating these features. Fig. 8, is a side elevation of the drive connection for the machine andthe suction-arms.

The machine is su pported upon anysuitable base, to which is secured 4the post A, upon which the operating parts turn.

B is the rotary frame, journaled on-the post -A and carrying the operating parts. On the lower end of the tubular portionof the framev chamber c, formed around, the post A and within the tubular part of thev frame B.`

The frame B is provided with a series of radial arms C, on each of :which in suitable journals D. are supported the suction-arms E. These suction-arms are shown inthe formof hollow spindles'or shafts, the inner ends-extending into or connecting with the vacuumchamber c. I have shown a bushing d, forming the journal for the inner end of the shaft and projecting into the vacuum-chamber, provided with ,ports e, with which are adapted to be registered the cross-ports la near the end of the suction-arms. i

z' is an air-inlet port, preferably controlled by the valve la, operated by lthe crank-arm Z, which inl turn is actuated by the roller-Wrist m, actuated bythe cam n (secured by the bracket n to the post A)in one direction and bythe link. 0, connecting with a collar r on the `suction-arm E. The suction-arml is rotated by a bevel gear-wheel 9, having a spline engagement with the suction-arm, so that the latter may move endwise therethrough and.- Iyet be driven thereby. The bevel gear-wheel 9 meshes with the bevel gear-wheel l0 on the,`

base of the machine. Theshaft 27 is provided with a gear 29, which meshes with a spur-gear.

Vertical shaft 11, journaled in brackets 12 o the frame B.

Uponth'e lower portion of the shaft 11 are the two gear-wheels 13 and 14, loose upon the shaft and adapted to be connected therewith by means of the clutch 15, which is actuated bythe lever 16, having `a roller atvits outer end engaging the cam 17, secured to the stand7 ards 18, which rise from the base. The gearwheel 13 is in mesh with an annular gear 19 on lthe sleeve 20, which is journaled upon the lower tubular portion of the frame B, as plainly shown in Fig. 1. 21 isan annular gear upon the slee've 22,' journaled `upon the outer face of the sleeve 20. The sleeve 22 is provided at its lower end with a=bevelgear 23, which is driven by a bevel-K pinion.24 on the shaft 4. Upon the shaft 4 isanother bevel-pinion, 25,which meshes with the bevel gear-.wheel 26 on the vertical shaft 27, journaled in the vertical bearing 28 on the 30 upon the lower end of the sleeve 20. These parts .are so arranged that when through the medium oi thecam 17 and the lever 16 the gear-wheel 13 is coupled to the shaft 11 the suction-arm E will be driven at a comparatively slow speedf-say thirty revolutions a minute; but when through the actionof the:

cam 17.. the gear-wheel 141s coupled to the shaft 11 then the suction-armE will be driven at a high speed-say three hundred revolutions a-minute. There is sufficient space between thegear-wheels13 and 14 so that'the clutchcollar 15 may be arrested intermediate the.

two and in which position the rotation of the suction-arm will entirely cease.- Itis evident that the cam 17 may be arranged,without further illustration of it, so as to effect these movements at the desired time in the rotation` ofthe frame..r

Referring to Fig. 2, 35 is a temporary restsupport or table upon which the operator,

may place the tumbler or other article to beAv fire-iinished, this rest heilig of such a shape and arranged insuch relation to the head 36 on the end oi' the suction-arm as to properlycenter the article thereon, so that its axis willV beexactly the axis of the rotating suctionarm. If the article were placed eccentrically -upon .the suction-head, the rotation of the same would distort it after it became heated, andtherei'ore it is quite essential that the article should be placed properly upon the suction-head to prevent this difculty. The rest 35 l have shown rs semicircular in shape, slightly tapering to receive the ordinary tumbler, and it is detachably supportedin the outer end of a slide 37. The slide is provided with the vertical posts or studs 38, adapted to engage between the iianges 39 ofthe rest 35, so that different rests may be inserted for tumblers of different size or shape. r `he" parts are shown in Fig. 2 in position to rein'position upon lthe rest. As soon as theV tumbler is laid thereon, lthe yrotation of the frame B continuing, the cam 41 starts to retract the rest to the position shown in Fig. 1,

and such inward movement causes the finger 46 on the lever 47, pivoted on the slide 37, to engage the outer edge of the tumbler, as shown in Fig. 3; andto move the tumbler against the outer face of the suction-head 36. The further inward movement of the slide will move the tumbler longitudinally and likewise move the suction-armA inward. In the initial position shown lin Fig. 3 the cross-port L in the end yof the` suction-arm is in ,alinement with the air-inlet porta' and the passage through the armnis in communication with the atmosphere. The continued inward movement of the suction-arm thus pushed by the finger 46 willmovethe port iz, away from the air-inlet port z' and into the vacuum-chamber c, as

shown in Fig. 4. As soon as this occurs theV IOO neaththecam 53, formed on the arm C, previously described. arm has been moved inward, so that its passage is connected with the vacuum-chamber, the iingerwill drop down and disengage from the edgerotl thevtumbler because of the disengagement of the arm 52 from the cam 53, the parts then being in the position shown in Fig. 4. The .rest 35 will be drawn in beyond the head and into the position shown in Fig. 1, so as to be clearfrom the tumbler and re-.inishing and forming operations..

The suction-head is illustrated in detail in Fig.'6, and in this case consists oi' a sleeve 54, screwed onto the end of the suction-arm, provided with an annular flange 55, within which is fitted the block 56, leaving between the flange and the block an exhaust-port 51, connected with thepassage through the suctionarm by the ports 58 and the passage 59. The block 56 is of suitable shape to fit in the concave -bottom of thetumbler, while the flange 55 will receive the end of the -rim thereof, thus supporting the tumbler by its bottom face only, the support being of such a shape as to prevent the distortion thereof by the atmospheric pressure thereon. By means of this construction I can do away with the guides or receptacles which grasp or inclose the exte- As soon as the suction- IIO rior of the article, so that I am able to iinish'the entire exterior surface to eliminate all mold-marks on pressedware, and am also enabled to support the article without Inarring or marking the bottom face in any way. During this period'in the travel of the suction-arm when the article is being attached thereto the drive mechanism is preferably disconnected from the suction-arm, the clutch 15 being in the intermediate position referred to. As soon as the article is attached the clutch 15 is thrown into engagement with the gearwheel 13, and the suction-arm, with its article, is rotated at the slow speed. The article may be applied to the suction-arm at about the point lettered G in Fig. 7, the suction-arm traveling in a direction indicated by the arrow. The traveling of the suction-arm rotating at slow speed, as before described, will bring it into theglow-boX 60. (Illustrated in Figs. 2, 5, and 7.) This glow-box is segmental in shape, being lined with {jre-clay 61 and having a lire-chamber 62 therein, being open at the ends to admit the article and having a slot 63 in the front face to permit of the passage therethrough of the suctionarms or spindles. This slot may be closed by means of the segmental plates 64:, carried by the revolving frame B and extending between the outer ends of the suctionarms, as plainly shownin Figs. 2 and`7. This is simply to prevent the loss of heat from thecglow-boX in the space between the suction-arms. lThe glow-box is fed with gas and air, preferably by a suitable inlet-pipe 66, entering through the top at or near the middle thereof. During the travel through the glow-box the firenishing process is completed, the sharp corners of the edges being melted and the eXterior being softened, .so as to eliminate any mold-marks that may be thereon. The article is rotated during its passage through the glow-box at the slow speed referred to. While I have shown and prefer to use a glow-box adapted to receive the entire article, the shape of the glow-box and its action upon the article may be varied to suit the various requirements of the-articles to be fire-finished. For

instance, in blown tumblers, if desired, the

edges alone might be presented to the heat instead of, as shown in these drawings, thev entire article being in the name-chamber.

When the article leaves the glow-box 60, thev glass is heated to such a condition that it is slightly plastic or malleable-that is, so it might be bent slightly by pressure applied to pin 77 of the arm 76 is a gear-segment 78 inV mesh with a rack 79, sliding in guides on the under side of the arm G, Fig. 1. This rack 79 is provided with a roller-wrist 80, engaging a cam 8-1, carried by the posts 18. The cam is of such shape vthat just as the article leaves the glow-box 60 the rack will be moved outward, rocking the arm 76 upon its pivot and lifting the mold or form into engagement with the under side of the'glass article. .Just before or at the time that the mold or form engages the glass article the clutch 15 will be shifted by the cam 17 into engagement with the gear-wheel 14, imparting the high speed to the suction-arm, so that the article will be rotated as soon as the former engages therewith at a suficiently high speed to throw the semiplastic glass into contact with the former or mold and give it a perfect shape, at the same time polishing it byits rotation against the mold-surface. The vengagement ofthe mold or form with the article takes place at about the point H, Fig. 7, and continues around to about the point J; At about .the point J in its travel the mold or former is disengaged from the article by an inward movement of the rack 79, and at the same time the cam n, engaging the roller-wrist 7n, will actuate the lever Z, the link 0, and by the engagement of the link o with the collar r will shift the suction-arm outwardly, withdrawing the port e from the vacuum-chamber c and causing it to register with the air-port z', the air-valvela being opened by the same movement. This willdestroy the lvacuum inthe suction-arm, restoring atmospheric pressure therein, and the tumbler will fall off, being received either by the operator or upon a suitable guideway or receptacle. (Not shown.) At some suitable point in its travel the mold or former is preferably cooled and wet. To accomplish this, I have shown a tank 82 arranged beneath -the glow-boxes, and the cam 81 is so shaped that as the former reaches the edge of the tank it will be lowered, as shown in Fig. 5, traveling through the waterv until it is ready to be applied to the article just beyond the glow-box 60, when it will be lifted into operative engagement with the article, as before described.

The form 75 is supported in a chair 83 upon the outer end of the lever' 76 and is adjustable by means of the` set-screws 84, 'so as to fit it perfectly to the article, and when adjusted it may be clamped in position by the winged nut 85. This mold is not only therefore adjustable, but detachable, so that molds vof different shapes and sizes of articles may be applied and adjusted accurately to the article to be polished. .I

I will now briefly state the operations of the machine as a whole. Motion being imparted to the frame B around its post or pivot A, the operator lays an article. uponv the rest 35, which centers it in relation to the suction- IOO IIO

into contact therewith, and the article is rotated at high speed, polishing and shaping it in the mold. YVhen shaped and polished, the mold is withdrawn, atmospheric pressure is restored in the suction-arm, and the article drops away from its seat. f

I have described the operation of but a s ingle arm; but, as is plain from the drawings,

ya' number of these arms may be carried by the frame B, in this case eight being shown, and moved successively through the operations described.

In case no article is placed upon the rest when it arrives at the proper point to receive an article then the finger 46 will not impinge upon anything, and therefore the suction-arm will not be shifted longitudinally and will not be connected with the vacuum chamber. Thus the suction-arm is rendered operative vonly by the placing .of the article on the suction-arm, and the suction-arm is connected Ywith the vacuum-chamber by and upon the application of the article.

I consider it quite desirable to have the arms E arranged in a horizontal position, for the reason that when they are arranged vertically gravity will act to elongate or shorten the article when it is in its plastic condition. In the horizontal position the tendency of gravity does not tend to elongate or shorten it, but only to distort the article' laterally, and this is overcome by revolving it. I do not, however, desire to limit myself to the use of the suction-arm or the other devices in horizontal position, although I deem that the preferable arrangement.

' What I claim as my invention is- 1.- The combination of a movable suctionarm rotatable about its longitudinal axis, of means for exhausting the air therefromoperable through and upon the application of the article thereto, said article being rotatable with the suction-arm.

2. 'Ihe combination of a movable suctionarm rotatable about its longitudinal axis, of`

automatic means for exhausting the air therefrom operable upon the application ofthe article thereto, said article being rotatable with the suction-arm.

3. The combination of a movable'suctionarm rotatable about its longitudinal axis, an air-exhaust device connected therewith, and means for controlling the production of the vacuum beneath the article operable only upon ,thev -application of the article thereto, said vmoving a shaping-mold into operative relation thereto, rapidly rotating the head while the mold is thus arranged, and for cutting off the exhaust connection and admitting the air therein.

6. In a fire-finishing machine, the combination of a traveling suction-head, ymeans for rotating the head about its longitudinal axis, and means forexhausting the air therefrom to hold an article thereon, operable only upon the application of the article thereto and for restoring the air tol said head for detaching the article therefrom.

7. In a fire-finishing machine the following instrumentalities traveling together and cooperating for the purpose described, a rotating head, a movable support for ythe glass article, adapted to be moved away from the head after the article is connected thereto, and a shaping-mold movable into and fromoperative relation to the head.

8. In a fire-finishing machine, the following devices movable together and cooperating for the purposes described, a rotary suction-head, means for creating a partial vacuum and restoring the air-pressure therein, a support for the article adjacent to the head, movable into and from operative relation to the head, and a shaping-.mold likewise movable into and from operative relation to the-head, combined with mechanism for rotating the head and operating the support and mold.

9. The combination of a suction-arm rotatable about its longitudinal axis, means for automatically exhausting the air therefrom operable by and only upon the application lof the article thereto, and a rotatable support for the rotary suction-arm. y

10. The combination of a movable suctionarm rotatable about its longitudinal axis, means for automatically exhausting -the air therefrom operable only by and upon the application of the article thereto, said article being rotatable with the suction-arm. l

11. The combination of a support for a glass article, a suction-arm adjacent. thereto, means for exhausting the air therefrom by and upon the application of the article thereto, and .for admitting atmospheric pressure theretoto disconnect the article, and means whereby the support may be moved into and from operative relation to the suction-arm.

IOC

IIO

12. The combination of a {ire-inishing furnace or burner, a rotating suction-head movable to carry an article thereon, in and out of the same, `and means for connecting an ex- -hausting device to the head before approach# ing the furnace, and for admitting atmospheric pressure to the head on leaving the furnace.

13. The combination of a re-l'inishing furnace or burner, a rotating suction-head, with a relative movement therebetween to carry `the article into and out of the furnace, and

means for exhausting the air from the head while the article is in the furnace, and for admitting atmospheric pressure thereto to disconnect it therefrom.

14. The combination with a suction-:arm rotatable about its longitudinal axis, of means head.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two wltnesses.

WILLIAM EMIL BOOK.

Witnesses: v

WM. S. WALBRIDGE, G. H. CLOSE. 

